Why Social Media for LTAP?

1. Why Social Media for LTAP? BenjamínColucci benjamin.colucci1@upr.edu Puerto Rico LTAP Roundtable Session July 30, 2012

3. Introduction • Social Media is becoming a main avenue of communication in the online world. • Americans spend nearly one quarter of their online time using social media. • 4 out of 5 internet users visit a social networking site on a monthly basis.

5. Benefits of Social Media • Establish Relationships • Increase Awareness • Blend technology and social interaction • Allow multiple participants • Facilitate communication • Reach global and targeted audience • No cost • No special training

6. Today in Transportation History: July 30, 1962 • The first segment of the Trans-Canada Highway was officially opened with a ceremony at the town of Golden in southeastern British Columbia. • A dedication at the other end of the newly opened section of the highway took place that same Monday about 93 miles west of Golden at Rogers Pass, which is part of the Selkirk Mountains and likewise in British Columbia. • American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) – Facebook Page

7. First Lady Michelle Obama is picked up by U.S. Olympic wrestler Elena Pirozhkova • First Lady Michelle Obama is picked up by U.S. Olympic wrestler Elena Pirozhkova during a greet with Team USA Olympic athletes competing in the 2012 Summer Olympic Games, at the U.S. Olympic Training Facility at the University of East London in London, England, July 27, 2012. The White House Facebook page (Official White House Photo by Sonya N. Hebert)

10. #1) Focus on Social Communication • DO focus on social communication as equally as you focus on social content. Facebook and Twitter are more communication engines than content engines. • Don't make social media just a platform to promote your product.  Let your customers promote the product and use social media to promote your customers.

11. #2) Listen and Engage • Do listen and engage with your audience everyday.  They want you to talk with them but not at them. • Don't avoid customer complaints or gripes.  One or two unanswered negative comments can leave a huge impression on your prospective customers, not just the person who's posting that comment.

12. #3) Build Equity and Social Relationships • Do build equity in your social channels.  The long-term ROI on a social customer can be 10 times higher than a non-social customer. • Don't assume that just because a consumer "likes your brand" that they're a social customer.  You have to continue to build that relationship and turn that "Like" into Love.

15. Who uses social media? Before After

16. Who uses social media? (cont.)

17. Who uses social media? (cont.)

18. Who uses social media? (cont.)

19. 2011 Fortune Global 100Social Media Study • 84% of the largest 100 companies in the Fortune Global 500 index use at least one of the following platforms: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and corporate blogs.

20. What is the future of social media in the LTAP Community? • Facebook formed in February 2004 • YouTube formed in February 2005 • Twitter formed in July 2006 • Analyst believe social media shows no signs of slowing. • Facebook predictions are to have 1 billion users by the end of 2012.

21. The Future???